Calculating Times - Mental Arithmetic Tricks

[old] Bill · Post by **[old] Bill** » October 3rd, 2004, 11:02 pm

Hello, What tricks do you use when doing "rowing maths" inside your head ? Sometimes I can see an easy way to calculate something inside my head and other times I have to look at a chart ie an example of an easy one 5k@ 1:53 = 5k@ 2:00 minus 5k@ 0:07 = 10x 2:00 - 10x 0:07 =20 minutes - 70seconds (70sec = 1:10) =18:50 What tricks do you use ? Bill

[old] TedCG · Post by **[old] TedCG** » October 4th, 2004, 1:34 am

Although I can't recommend any particular "math-tricks", I definitely spend a lot of erg-time doing math. I'm working on distance, doing long rows, over preset distances. So once I'm warmed up, I start playing the PM2 against the wall-clock, trying to predict meters left to go at time X. By the time I figure it out, time X has passed, and I gotta start over. Meanwhile, my brain has been too busy to tell my body to lighten up. The Distraction of Calculation Helps me speed Through LSD. Burma Shave

[old] Daren C · Post by **[old] Daren C** » October 4th, 2004, 4:23 am

The PM3 has a "Projected Time" or "Projected Distance" display. I just use that. If my projected time isn't what I'm aiming at, I adjust my stroke. I'm normally too busy puffing and gasping to do any mental gymnastics.

[old] Niall · Post by **[old] Niall** » October 4th, 2004, 4:49 am

To keep my rowing sessions mildly interesting, I continuously calculate what my stroke rate should be to achieve the necessary goal I'm after for that session. I recently tried a session with the Avg Stroke Rate displayed and I must admit I hated it. With the monitor doing the calculations for me, there seemed to be nothing for me to do apart from row and this made the session quite boring. So I'm back to my mental arithmetic rowing sessions now. I do, however, acknowledge, that this isn't everyone's cup of tea but it works for me.

[old] Prufrock · Post by **[old] Prufrock** » October 4th, 2004, 6:18 am

I agree, Niall, boredom can sometimes be the enemy, especially on a longer row. I find counting my metres per stroke and then doing various calculations to see how far I would go after another X strokes at this rate. I find playing stroke rate games help when I'm getting bored with a row. I also find myself working out relationships between heart rate, stroke per minute and distance travelled, especially on UT2 rows. Prufrock

[old] Niall · Post by **[old] Niall** » October 4th, 2004, 9:36 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE </td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I also find myself working out relationships between heart rate, stroke per minute and distance travelled </td></tr></table> And who said it was only women who could multi-task?!

[old] Prufrock · Post by **[old] Prufrock** » October 4th, 2004, 10:03 am

Certainly not me!

[old] seat5 · Post by **[old] seat5** » October 4th, 2004, 10:51 am

I think it's amazing that anyone can do any math at all while rowing! If I don't have a pencil in my hand, that part of my brain won't even turn on. Sometimes I try by writing the numbers on the roof of my mouth with my tongue but then I forget what I've written or end up with answers to which I have forgetten the questions, if you know what I mean. My best strategy is using the average pace display, and listening to loud music or watching movies, while also watching to see that I'm pulling on the same number (to get 10MPS). The projected time or distance display throws me into panic mode. One slow or weak stroke and the display shows horrifying results ahead, which causes me to work to hard and then poop out. I can multi-task, but NOT on the erg! Hats off to those of you who can! Carla

[old] Prufrock · Post by **[old] Prufrock** » October 4th, 2004, 11:15 am

Carla Tell me to shut up and mind my own business if I'm being too personal, but I notice your avatar has someone playing the violin. Is that person you? Now if you are a musician that is far better than doing some idiot savant calculations because you're bored on a machine. And I do that at work as well!!!! In fact being a musician is pretty damn cool. My 11 year old niece is learning to play the violin. I played piano when I was a boy - grade five - but preferred soccer to circles of fifths. Plus I'm tone deaf! Bernard

[old] Canoeist · Post by **[old] Canoeist** » October 4th, 2004, 2:27 pm

I know that a 1:40 pace means 100 seconds to row 500 meters. This means that the boat will cover exactly 5 meters in one second at a 1:40 pace. So, a good estimation at a 1:45 pace is still using 5m per second in my mental calculations. If I am 10 meters up in a 6K, it means that I am ahead by about 2 seconds. I watch my opponents pace and try to make sure that they can't gain 2 seconds in the final sprint to the finish line. Cheers, Paul Flack

[old] PaulH · Post by **[old] PaulH** » October 5th, 2004, 10:15 am

The only mental gymnastics I do are "one quarter of the way there, now a third, another X hundred meters then it's the half-way mark, ooh down to a third to go, only 2km left, I know I can do 2km." The rest of my brain is taken up with the DVD I'm watching! Cheers, Paul

[old] DavidA · Post by **[old] DavidA** » October 5th, 2004, 2:52 pm

I also like to try and occupy myself with a lot of mental math while I erg. One that I do almost always is the same as PaulH - "one quarter of the way there, now a third, ..." David

[old] dougsurf · Post by **[old] dougsurf** » October 11th, 2004, 4:14 pm

For a longer piece, I like to take the average pace up quickly to a level of one second faster than my goal, within five strokes, and then divide that second up into fractions that I reward myself with, at each passing 1k. So for a 10k where I'm aiming for 1:48, I'll quickly get the average split to 1:47, then as I pass 9k, I'll row along at a relaxed 1:48 or 1:49 as a little treat until the average says 1:47.1, then I'll hold it there until 8k comes along, let it drift to 1:47.2, etc. I suppose it goes against a purest intent on constant speed, but these little tricks do help break a big job into little ones, and pass the time. They and some form of very loud rock music. Doug

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 11th, 2004, 4:38 pm

I like using projected pace for time trials because it's easier than trying to add the numbers with my tongue. I use average pace for interval sessions because it shows the intermediate splits. Then I count from a specified pace and calculate my average at the end. For example if I'm aiming for 1:54 pace and the first one is 1:55.2, that's "plus 12". Then if the next one is 1:54.7, that's 7 more for a total of "plus 19" etc. Usually these go up to plus 80 or so then come back down to "0" or below. The first set is usually slower and then each one gets gradually faster. Overall, I try to stay very close to the average that I'm aiming for.

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